Browsing by Author "Akello Lucy Dora"

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Factors Influencing Tutors’ Use of ICT: a Case Study of Mukuju Core Primary Teachers’ College
(African Journals Online, 2010) Ogot Alfred Joe; Akello Lucy Dora
This study examined the factors influencing the integration of ICTs in teaching/learning at Mukuju Core Primary Teachers’ College. Data were collected from staff and students at the College—using questionnaires and focus group discussions. The findings were that tutors’ and students’ conversance with ICTs, attitude towards the technologies and access to the internet influenced the former’s integration of ICTs in teaching/learning. Therefore, it is recommended that the tutors, and their students, be trained/retrained in the use of ICTs and that the College’s connectivity to the internet is improved.
Formative Assessment: The Role of Participatory Action Research in Blending Policy and Practice in Uganda
(2018) Akello Lucy Dora; Timmerman Greetje M. C.
This paper documents teachers’ assessment practices and pupils’ learning to read and write in large classes. To gain insights into the assessment practices and pupils’ learning, the principles of Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development and participatory action research (PAR) design were adopted. Collaboratively, teachers reflected on their assessment practices, developed, implemented and monitored the assessment practices. Through observation, in-depth interview and review of exercise books, data were obtained. We argue that teachers’ involvement in PAR has contributed to changing assessment practices in large classes and in improving pupils’ competencies in reading and writing. On the other hand, to promote better assessment practices, we advocate for reduced number of pupils in a class and teachers’ workload to enable them offer more support to the pupils during assessment of reading and writing
Local Language a Medium of Instruction: Challenges and Way Forward
(2018) Akello Lucy Dora; Timmerman Greetje M. C.
The paper reports on a participatory action research study conducted in six rural primary schools in Uganda in 2013 to establish why children taught in the local language had difficulties in reading and writing. Findings through interviews, focus group discussions, reviews of exercise books and lesson observations indicated that though it was easier for pupils to learn the concepts in the local language; challenges ranging from poor translation, inadequate teachers’ language proficiency, lack of instructional materials, high pupils’ enrolment, lack of administrative support and teachercentred approach of teaching, affected pupils’ learning to read and write. Participants recommended adopting the child-centred pedagogy, incorporating instructional materials, conducting continuous assessment and recording pupils’ competencies attained in reading and writing. Teachers need to engage more in Participatory action research in order to reflect on their practices and pupils’ learning, and collaboratively decide what works best and what needs improvement in their classrooms.
Mother Tongue Word Order Competence and Second Language Writing Skills: A Case Study of Acoli and English
(African Journals Online, 2009) Akello Lucy Dora
This paper reports the fi ndings of a study that delved into the relati onship between mother tongue (L1) word order competence and second language (L2) writi ng skills, taking the case of Acoli and English respecti vely. It reports that, triggered by concerns that schools that instruct their pupils in L1 before introducing L2 perform worse than those that use L2 from the start, the study involved the administrati on of a test of L1 word order competence and L2 writi ng skills to 177 pupils of primary four, selected from Gulu District of Uganda. Using the Pearson Product Moment Correlati on test, the scores on L1 word order competence were correlated with those on L2 writi ng skills. The fi ndings were that there is a signifi cant relati onship between the variables (r=.813, p.=.000). Therefore, it is recommended that the Ministry of Educati on and Sports, as well as other stakeholders, promote the adopti on of L1 as a medium of instructi on in the early grades.
Overcoming Poverty: Accounting for Stagnation and Upward Mobility in Central Uganda
(Kisubi Brothers University College, 2012) Ssempebwa Jude; Ndagire Abisagi Kasoma; Kule Abraham; Ssekyewa Charles; Nnyanzi David; Kisolo Gelvan; Nyende Jeremiah; Masereka Joseph; Nambuubi Juliet; Otaala Laura; Akello Lucy Dora; Odong Moses; Okullo Nellie Florence; Kanyandago Peter; Lugemwa Peter; Ouma Richard; Akabwai Steven
Poverty in Uganda has been the subject of extensive scholarship and policy attention. Subsequently, several poverty alleviation programmes/ projects have been implemented in the country over the last five decades. Although successive surveys have reported notable improvements in the quality of life, there is evidence that many households are still stagnating in poverty. Why? How come the poverty alleviation programmes/ projects that are enabling some households to transit poverty are not working for the households stagnating in poverty? This study delved into these questions, taking the case of Central Uganda. The findings were that the households that are stagnating in poverty suffer from a broad syndrome of disadvantage, which affects their capacity to transit from poverty. However, it was also found that, despite their indisputable challenges, many of them are stagnating in poverty because they don’t feel that they are poor. Differences were noted between their view of poverty and the traditional view of poverty (by which they are characterized as poor). It was concluded that poverty alleviation programs/ projects have not transformed them because the interventions delivered under the programmes/ projects are based on the traditional view of poverty. Thus, it is recommended that those designing/ implementing these programs/ projects synchronize their view of poverty with the views of the poor whose poverty they are working to alleviate.
Teaching reading and writing in local language using the child-centred pedagogy in Uganda
(Taylor & Francis, 2015-11-04) Akello Lucy Dora; Namusisi Speranza
Uganda introduced the use of mother tongue as medium of instruction in primary schools in 2007. This was meant to promote interaction and participation in the learning process and improve children's proficiency in reading and writing. Drawing elements of interaction and participation from the socio-cultural theory, the child-centred pedagogy was introduced. This intervention, however, did not yield the expected results. Children taught in the local language still had problems in reading and writing. A participatory action research framework was used to gain insights into the child's learning to read and write within a re-emphasised child-centred pedagogy. In this paper, we argue that involving children at individual and group levels, conducting continuous assessment and using appropriate instructional materials help children to learn and improve their proficiency in reading and writing. Some pupils, however, still find difficulties in reading three syllable words, constructing simple sentences and punctuating their work. For the children to improve their proficiency in reading and writing in their mother tongue, the teachers need to use more instructional materials, carry out continuous assessment in small groups and design learning activities that promote children's interaction and participation